28 July 2015
Africa Kick Starts Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction Implementation
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African governments gathered in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 20-23 July 2015 to launch a global drive to apply the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The meeting was comprised of the Seventh Africa Working Group Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction held from 21-22 July 2015, followed by the Fourth High Level Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction on 23 July 2015, which adopted the Yaoundé Declaration on the Implementation of the Sendai Framework in Africa.

unisdr_au23 July 2015: African Governments gathered in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 20-23 July 2015, to launch a global drive to apply the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). Representatives from 37 African Governments agreed to work together towards substantial reductions in disaster losses over the next 15 years, including reductions in mortality, the numbers of people affected and the economic damage caused by natural and human-induced hazards.

The meeting was comprised of the Seventh Africa Working Group Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction, held from 21-22 July 2015, followed by the Fourth High Level Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction, on 23 July 2015, which adopted the Yaoundé Declaration on the Implementation of the Sendai Framework in Africa. “Africa is setting the pace for the post-2015 development agenda through its clear statement of high-level commitment,” stated Margareta Wahlström, Head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR).

The Seventh Session of Africa Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction adopted a number of recommendations, endorsed by the Fourth High Level Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction, along four priority areas: understanding disaster risk; strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk; investing in DRR for resilience; and enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response, and to ‘Build Back Better’ in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

The Yaoundé Declaration, issued by the Fourth High Level Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction, requests the African Union (AU) to lead on aligning Africa’s strategies with the targets outlined in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, with support from the UNISDR. It further, inter alia: calls for States to include and integrate DRR in their economic development policies and programmes; stresses the need for the AU to set up a follow-up mechanism; and calls for a wide dissemination at regional, sub-regional, national and sub-national levels of the Sendai Framework, and Africa Regional Strategy and Programme of Action on DRR.

The Seventh Africa Working Group Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Fourth High Level Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction were organized by the AU and the UN Office for DRR, Regional Office for Africa. [UNISDR Press Release 20 July 2015] [UNISDR Press Release 23 July 2015] [Yaoundé Declaration] [Recommendations from the Seventh Session of Africa Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction] [Seventh Africa Working Group Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction Webpage] [Fourth High Level Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction Webpage]


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